Final thoughts

It looks like Richard Jefferson got away with tripping Kevin Durant on that last possession, expect that to be a topic of discussion for a spell. In any case, it shouldn’t take too much away from what was about as big of a regular season win that a team could possibly have.

There’s plenty more basketball going on today, but this will be the end of our Christmas Day liveblogging. Thanks to everyone who decided to spend a small portion of today with us here at the Guardian. Ciao!

Cavaliers win!

Warriors 108-109 Cavaliers, FINAL

The Cavaliers take a 20 second timeout. Out of the timeout, Jefferson attempts the game-tying three. It’s not a wise idea.

But Iguodala turns it over on the other end, Irving makes the steal and makes a layup It’s a one point game and the Warriors get called for a shot clock violation! The Cavaliers have the ball. Irving hits a basket and the Cavaliers have the lead!

The Warriors take a timeout with three seconds left on the clock. Durant misses a three pointer out of the timeout and the Cavaliers hold on for a HUGE WIN.

And Klay Thompson blocks Irving on the other end! Durant gets the rebound and he gets it to Steph Curry, who has been off for the first 46 minutes of the game, hits a three-pointer right when his team needed it most!

Durant attempts to settle things down by getting to the line and making his free throws but the game refuses to settle. Iman Shumpert hits one from downtown and it’s just a two point game.

Curry, who has not had a great game by his own standards, gets a layup but suddenly the Warriors can’t get any stops. Richard Jefferson drives to the basket like a player half his age and throws down a dunk.

Green picks up his fourth foul, the Warriors really really really don’t need that right now. Green’s visibly not happy to the point where the crowd wants a technical, which would mean an automatic ejection, but that’s not happening.

Finally something good for Cleveland. Shumpert to Love for a dunk to sporadic cheers. The crowd is starting to become aware of the deficit and the rapidly decreasing clock.

They perk up on the next sequence. Durant misses a jumper, the Cavaliers regain possession. DeAndre Liggins, whose knees are apparently okay, gets the ball to Irving who hits a huge three-pointer that gives Cleveland new life.

Durant starts off the fourth quarter by missing a mid-range jumper. Love collects the rebound, but Irving loses it out-of-bounds. A foul on Jefferson gets the ball back to the Warriors. Thompson drives to the basket for a layup to increase the Warriors lead to 9 points.

Just when it looks like the Warriors can end this quarter on an exclamation point, Durant gets called for a foul on LeBron with a second left on the clock. Luckily for Golden State, LeBron only makes one of two free throws.

And out of the timeout, Klay Thompson takes an Iguodala pass and immediately fires off a three-pointer that’s right on the money. Curry steals a Frye pass, but Irving steals it right back and drives to the basket for a layup.

JaVale McGee pulls a JaVale McGee by missing a dunk, to the delight of the Quicken Loans crowd. Klay Thompson hits a three but the Other Thompson makes a dunk on the other end and that convinces Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to call a timeout.

Durant misses a three. Tristan Thompson grabs the rebound and draws yet another JaVale McGee foul. Thompson makes one of two free throws. It feels like the Cavaliers are going 1-or-2 a lot in this game, something which could hurt them considering this may end up being a one possession game at the end.

And then a big swing for Cleveland. Kevin Love gets called fora foul that puts McGee to the line. JaVale misses both shots, but that’s four fouls on Love now. The Cavaliers pull him and bring Frye into the game.

Since this is technically Christmas I suppose I should provide some holiday themed content here during the break in action. So here it goes: The true meaning of Christmas is learning that Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” is actually a rewrite of “Come All Ye Faithful.”

Halftime

Well that’s certainly one way to end a half. The Warriors have a three point lead but you have to think the Cavaliers have reasons to feel good heading back to the locker room, which you couldn’t have said even a minute of game time earlier.

Love is back in the game for Liggins. Curry hits a three-pointer, his first made field goal of the game. Love’s return plays instant dividends for Cleveland as he draws a foul and hits two free throws.

And then Jefferson gets called for a foul that sends Curry to the line. Curry actually misses one of the free throws, something which my brain doesn’t ever quite process.

Thompson steals a Jefferson pass and gets it to Livingston, whom Jefferson fouls on the way to the basket. He makes both free throws. Jefferson’s day doesn’t get much better from there, as his jumper gets blocked by Durant. On the other end, Green makes a layup and this is starting to get away for Cleveland.

Draymond Green, who seems to have calmed down after a first quarter that saw him holdback by half the Warriors’ lineup, gets a layup right under the basket. After Klay Thompson makes another three, Cleveland calls a timeout to try to regroup. It feels like Cleveland has been playing better, but you look at the standings and Golden State has their largest lead yet.

A wonky sequence here for the Cavs. Shump misses a three pointer, but LeBron gets the rebound. Jefferson attempts a three, and his try also misses the mark. Shumpert gets the rebound and gets it to Frye who jolts the crowd awake with a dunk.

On the other end, Klay Thompson hits a jumper.

And, hey, Channing Frye just hit a three-pointer? Is this going to be The Channing Frye Game? The Warriors call a timeout to figure out exactly how this is happening.